Obama Congradulates Tsipras While Nuland Approves of Greek-Russia Relations (????)

U.S. President Barack Obama telephoned Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Wednesday to personally congratulate Greece's new premier on his election victory. During the conversation, the US president told Tsipras that Washington will support the Greek government's efforts to end austerity policies. Obama also said that this support will also be expressed in action, through cooperation between the U.S. Treasury and the Greek finance ministry, noting that the US would support growth policies and employment.

The U.S. President noted that Europe must break free of austerity policies, as the U.S. had done, and adopt a strong agenda for growth.

He advised Tsipras to get some rest now that the election campaign was over, saying that he would need his strength for what lay ahead, with Tsipras replying that "this is difficult, due to the circumstances".

Obama expressed certainty that he will also manage to get some rest and told Tsipras: "I started young as well and now my hair has turned grey".

One day earlier, US Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia Victoria Nuland spoke at an event hosted by the Brookings Institute, entitled “Unity in Challenging Times: Building on Transatlantic Resolve”. After congratulating the Greek people and government, Nuland stated that as NATO allies, the US was looking forward to cooperating with Greece and Cyprus in combating terrorism.

She also underlined that the sacrifices made by the Greek people were not in vain and that the Greek economy would continue to receive support. She also commented that there was “no problem” in Greece developing closer ties with Russia (?????????), arguing that the previous government helped exchange messages between the two superpowers.

Regarding the naming dispute with FYROM, Nuland expressed her hope that talks would resume and that a solution including the term “Macedonia” will eventually be found, as the prolongation of tension may be detrimental to FYROM, the Balkans and Greece itself.

(ANA-MPA, ProtoThema, To Vima, enikos)